The Twins have informed hitting coach David Popkins that he won’t back next season, per a report from Dan Hayes of The Athletic. His contract just ended with the conclusion of the 2024 season and will not be renewed.
Popkins has been the club’s hitting coach for the past three years, getting hired prior to the 2022 campaign. The first of those seasons saw the club finish 78-84, though that wasn’t really on the offense. The club hit a collective .248/.317/.401 for a wRC+ of 106, 10th best in the majors. The 2023 was more successful, as the club went 87-75 and won the American League Central. Their hitters collectively slashed .243/.326/.428 for a 108 wRC+, tied for sixth in the majors.
For a long time, it seemed like 2024 was going to be another successful campaign for the Twins. They were in playoff position for most of the season but collapsed at the end, going 9-18 in the month of September and missing out on the postseason.
The team was still strong at the plate overall this year, with a line of .246/.315/.411 and a 107 wRC+ that was ninth in the league. That includes a dismal .218/.285/.338 line and 78 wRC+ in September as the club’s season slipped away from them.
It’s always tough to separate the influence of a coach from the performances of the players. Over the course of the three years where Popkins has been the hitting coach, most of the results have been good, though the most recent stretch of play obviously leaves a bad taste. Whether one wants to blame Popkins or not would be a matter of debate. Key players like Carlos Correa, Royce Lewis, Byron Buxton, Max Kepler and others missed significant time with injuries this year and were either off the field or perhaps not playing at 100% health during the September swoon. Regardless, it seems the club has decided to go in a different direction for 2025.
HopefulTwinsFan
HALLELUJAH. The Twins finally did something right.
Warden of the North(acoss13)
Off topic a bit, but Buxton got into 102 games this season, which he hasn’t done since 2017 when he got into 140 games. If you can get 100 games out of him next season, it’ll only help the team’s chances of making the playoffs.
HopefulTwinsFan
Warden – You’re not wrong, but that applies to more than just Buxton. While he often headlines the Twins’ injured list, the team was full of injuries this season. The Twins will need Correa, Joe Ryan, Justin Topa, and many others to be healthy as well next season, especially if the front office and ownership continues with the mentality that they don’t want to spend money on additional players.
Warden of the North(acoss13)
If you get the majority of those guys to be even somewhat healthy, Twins can definitely win the AL Central.
Samuel
Warden of the North(acoss13);
You’re writing that when you don’t even know the 4 other teams rosters in 2025, let alone the Twins.
Samuel
“…. with the mentality that they don’t want to spend money on additional players.”.
HopefulTwinsFan;
I know this is crazy to ask, but how about the Twins develop some of their own players?
MLB is not rotisserie league. Ask Yankees and Dodgers fans.
Canuckleball
The same Yankees and Dodgers fans who have celebrated a combined 6 World Series titles since the last time the Twins won?
3768902
No!! Now I must retire all my David S. Pumpkin GIFs.
sad tormented neglected mariners fan
Mariners should hire him in case Edgar doesn’t come back id take a top 15 hitting coach
LOUIS LOUIS
Hopefully Tommy “Send ’em Home But Wait Don’t Send ’em Home” Watkins is next. What a worthless coach – both at 3B and as the OF coach.
wjf010
Jayce Tingler too. these September collapses are very Padres-like…. coincidence?
BaseballBrian
He had a sister named Mary.
Canuckleball
She’s Mary Popkins y’all!
twinky
Send Joe Pohlad packing……
wjf010
leave him alone. he has a business to run
CO Guardening
Twins fans: if an extraordinary amount of things go right each season, we should be running away with the AL Central every year.
Dumpster Divin Theo
Nope
Dumpster Divin Theo
David Poppins you don’t say? Hit more like Mary Poppins